


Hurricane

by feentanz



Series: One Shots [13]
Category: Nikolai Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/M, Secret Relationship, this is the Zoya/Nina bonding we all deserve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-03 00:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19452310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feentanz/pseuds/feentanz
Summary: Some of the tension seemed to drop off Nina at the words, and her lips even spread into a slight grin. “Adrik send me to look for something, but I suppose it can wait a little longer.” Her eyes flickered back to Zoya, who still hadn’t moved one inch. “I guess we’re even now”, she noted, pressing her lips together to avoid the grin. “Although of course when you walked in on Matthias and me I was still dressed.”





	Hurricane

“So Zenik”, Zoya announced, stepping into the middle of the fighting pit. She had sent the instructor away for now, since she rather wanted to speak to Nina alone. They had not gotten a chance to do so ever since her return to Ravka, and there were plenty of things to be discussed. After all, Nina had been missing and been presumed dead until Zoya had accidently stumbled across her in Ketterdam. 

Nina blew a strand of brown hair away from her face, raising her chin stubbornly. She had never been a natural fighter, Zoya knew as much, which was why she had been a Ravkan spy rather than a soldier most of the time. But she had a self confidence which was perhaps only matched by Zoya’s herself, and so she had always been the first one to throw herself into a fight. _Reckless,_ Zoya had called it. 

But whatever _parem_ had done to her, it had changed her, and now she had no more _corporalki_ skills to rely on. “You’re wasting your time, Zoya”, Nina said now, crossing her arms in front of her chest. A teasing smile crept across her red lips. “Would you not much rather spend the day snuggling with the King?”

Zoya tried to ignore the words, but something about them set her off. The rumours about her and Nikolai had grown even thicker ever since their return from the fold – rightly so, she might add – but so far no one knew for sure. 

Well, apart from the poor Genya who had walked in on the two of them undressing each other in the King’s chambers. Since that day David had not dared to meet Zoya’s gaze, which made her assume he must know as well. _Damn you, Genya._

But instead of discussing this with Nina, Zoya attacked. She threw herself at the other girl, surprised by how well she was blocking the first attack. The time in Ketterdam seemed to have rubbed off on her, after all. 

“I still hate sparring”, Nina gasped, blocking a few of Zoya’s first punches but taking one of them hardly into the stomach. She tumbled back, cursing under her breath.

Zoya followed along, giving her a moment to regain her breath. “A Fjerdan _drüskelle_ would have killed you already, Zenik”, she said, launching her next attack.

This time, Nina was prepared. She danced backwards, defending herself quite successfully until she lost her balance for a second, enough for Zoya to wrap her foot around the girl’s ankle and made her crash to the ground hard.

Nina made a face, sitting up on the muddy ground. “Is this your kind of revenge on me because I fell for Matthias?” she asked, slowly getting back to her feet.

Zoya rolled her eyes. She remembered the Fjerdan, his blonde hair, lean back and shoulders, worrisome expression. She also remembered walking in on him and Nina _kissing,_ wrapped around each other like they would never let go. Genya had babbled on about that for weeks afterwards. “No”, she replied coolly, waiting for Nina to make the first move. “I am trying to remind you what a soldier of the Second Army is made of.”

Nina longed for her, throwing a few punches in her direction while Zoya ducked away. The girl’s eyes were burning with determination now. “Matthias was different than the others”, she declared, spinning around on her heel and hitting Zoya with her elbow.

She retreated a few steps, a smile on her lips. “Better, Zenik”, she noted. “You’re beginning to remember your lessons, I see. Good to know not all my effort was wasted on you.” She did not mean to be cruel, but Nina needed to realize what her disappearance had cost Ravka. Grisha could not start abandoning their people, or the entire army would crumble. 

But Nina was still grieving. Every bone of her body was screaming for her lost Fjerdan, a love which never should have been. Then again, did Zoya herself not know well enough the pain of falling for someone you were not allowed to love?

The thought of Nikolai distracted her for barely a moment, and she felt Nina’s fist hitting her hard against the jaw. “Daydreaming of your King, Zoya?” Nina teased, seeming to beam with excitement at the sudden success. Her eyes were trained at Zoya. “Is there any truth to the stories? Do you slip away from his chambers at night?”

“Careful, Zenik”, Zoya growled, launching her next attack with so much force she almost made the other girl fall over. She placed a strategic kick against Nina’s knee, making her trip and stumble a few paces away. “Don’t get distracted.” Before Ketterdam, Nina never would have dared to talk to her in such a way. If Zoya commanded anything, it was respect. 

Nina straightened her back, the way only a soldier did. She ran her fingers over the smooth silk of her red _kefta._ “You’re avoiding the topic greatly, Zoya”, she mused, taking an extra step back in case she would be attacked again. “Why not just say it is not true?”

Zoya huffed, keeping the cool expression on her face. She had been extra careful ever since the rumours had started spreading again, moving more like a shadow than a General as soon as she returned to her chambers at night. But secrets at the Little Palace had a way of getting out, and she had the vague fear that Nina was too good at reading into her actions. “It is not true”, Zoya replied eventually, keeping her voice firm and brisk. “Can we continue the lesson, at last?”

Nina rolled her eyes, something she would never have dared before she had gone missing and mingled with the Kerch. Back then, she had worshipped Zoya, perhaps even feared her. But her time with Kaz Brekker and the rest of his miserable gang seemed to have given her ego yet another boost. “I get the feeling you’re lying to me”, Nina added, eyes glowing teasingly. But her voice was serious. “Like I would not know the pains of a forbidden love.” She used the moment of distraction her words caused, throwing herself at Zoya.

She was knocked over, for a moment struggling for balance, surprised by Nina’s sudden strength. “Spend less time listening to gossip, Zenik”, Zoya was able to get out, ducking away from the girl’s fists. “and more time training.” She was almost out of breath.

Nina retreated barely, as if to think through her strategy. She ran a hand through her hair, some of it already clinging to the skin of her neck. “No need to listen”, she got out, breathing heavily from the exercise. “It’s all over your face when you look at him.”

The words caught Zoya off guard, for a second making her freeze. She prided herself on her ability to uphold the facade of General, hiding her emotions neatly behind it. _No one would ever know,_ Nikolai had told her, placing kisses along her neck. _No one will ever be able to tell._

Nina’s next blow knocked her off her feet, and Zoya exhaled sharply when suddenly she was lying in the mud. She had not even noticed that the other girl had begun to move again, having been too occupied with Nikolai on her mind. 

Now she was sitting up, giving Nina a sharp glance. “Not bad, Zenik”, she said, getting back to her feet as graceful as possible. “Fjerda taught you a thing or too.”

Zoya was not generous with compliments, and Nina knew that all to well, and so she smiled in return. “Perhaps the next _drüskelle_ I meet is just as easily distracted by a story about our king as you are”, she teased, biting her lip in amusement. Her cheeks were flushed.

Ignoring the words, Zoya turned away. She was wondering if Nina had been joking before, looking for something to distract her with. The King was a wanted man, and she could not let her own desire and weakness get in the way of him finding a bride. She glared at Nina, who was inspecting the array of daggers on the walls of the fighting pit. Could she dare to ask, risk to reveal herself in the process? Slowly, she stepped over to Nina. “I am the King’s General”, she said, voice hard as steel. “Nothing more.”

Nina glanced at her sideways. “I was only trying to find your weak spot earlier”, she replied, like she had read Zoya’s mind. “Don’t worry, you’re a great actress.”

Zoya rarely doubted herself, but she still felt relief at the words. If there was one thing she could not allow herself to fail at, it was this particular one. This was more important than anything else. Ravka’s future depended on it.

Eventually, Nina turned towards her. Her green eyes were true and honest. “Personally what I think Ravka needs is a Grisha Queen on the throne.” Her lips spread into a grin. 

“Zenik”, Zoya said warningly, shooting her an angry glance. She was about to practice her knife throwing at a moving target if Nina continued to push her buttons like this. It was bad enough she was so close to the truth on this one. 

Nina giggled, hurrying away from the fighting pit. “Always fun to train with you, Zoya!” she yelled over her shoulder, her red _kefka_ glowing in the sunlight.

Zoya looked after her, rolling her eyes. Not even in her boldest fantasy had she allowed herself to think about becoming queen, not since the war was over and she had taken on command of the Second Army. Because this was where she belonged, this was what she truly was. A General. Not a Queen.

Although whenever she thought about the Lantsov diamond on her ring finger, her heart was beating a little faster.

This evening Zoya was staying in her room, instead of - like usually - making a walk to the King’s chambers. Nina’s words were still haunting her, the way she had described the rumours. Of course no one knew they were true, but how long until someone did? How long until they slipped?   
  
She hadn’t told Nikolai any of it, and she was hoping he might think she was simply too busy to come tonight. However when there was a knock on the door, she still shrieked and hurried to open. 

A servant was standing in the doorway, bowing his head. “Commander Nazyalensky.”   
  
She nodded quickly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. 

“The King wishes for you to attend him in the library”, the servant informed her, before bowing again and hurrying away. 

Zoya sighed internally, wondering why in the Saint’s name Nikolai had decided to stay in the _library,_ of all places, at ten in the evening. Perhaps he had spent too much time with Tolya. But since she didn’t know if a matter of state was concerned here, she needed to go. 

The library was dark and empty at this time of day, and Zoya found Nikolai in one of the corners, a few editions of different books spread out in front of him. Although he appeared to be reading none of them, since he was already waiting for her when she walked in. “I’m glad you could make it, Nazyalensky”, he greeted. “I was worried you might be out on a nightly rendezvous.” 

_Did he really think that?_ Zoya fluffed her hair over one shoulder, leaning against the desk. “Perhaps I was, your Highness, and you distracted me.” She scanned the opened books. “What are you hoping to accomplish tonight?” 

Nikolai shrugged, getting up. “I was just trying to catch your attention, actually.” He stopped in front of her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t very well send a servant to summon you to my chambers.” 

Zoya huffed, narrowing her eyes a little. “I’m not letting myself be summoned _anywhere_ , your Highness.” She didn’t want to fall back into it, the easy routine of teasing and then getting too comfortable around each other. 

Like he had read her mind, Nikolai dropped his hands. “What’s wrong?” he wanted to know, suddenly serious. 

She looked down at her hands, wondering how to explain any of it. It was easy to forget what was at stake when she was tangled up in his arms, but sometimes the doubts still crept back up. Like today. “The rumours are growing thicker”, she said eventually. 

Nikolai raised a brow. “I didn’t think you cared about what other people said about you.”   
  
She didn’t. But Ravka couldn’t afford this particular one. “It’s not about me, Nikolai”, she replied, looking up at him. “But if you wish to form an alliance, you need to-”  
  
He interrupted her with his lips on hers, so sudden that she had no time to brace herself. Zoya felt her defense slipping away as she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting herself be pushed onto the table. She had always been bad at resisting Nikolai, especially since by now he knew exactly which buttons to push to silence her concerns. It was maddening, really. 

Nikolai went on to place kisses along her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. Zoya had almost forgotten they were in the library, pretty much exposed to everyone. But only _almost._ “Nikolai”, she muttered, trying to ignore how he was already busy undressing her. “Someone could walk in.”   
  
“Like anyone would come to the library at this hour”, he replied amused, letting the silk of her _kefta_ fall down from her shoulders. “Since when are you paranoid, Zoya?” 

She shot him an angry look, but not angry enough to push him away. Didn’t he care about this country as much as she did? But the argument was too tedious that she would like to go over it again, and so she just shoved it away for now. 

Nikolai continued to kiss her, his fingers tangled up in her hair. She unbuttoned his shirt - although she knew better - and let it fall to the floor, her fingertips dancing over his warm skin. It was addictive in the way that she didn’t know how to stop once she had started. 

His fingers went to the clip of her bra, hesitating for just a second to see if she would object. Looking back, Zoya was _very_ thankful for this second of holding back, because just in this moment the door swung open. 

Zoya froze instantly, feeling the horror paralyzing her body. She stared at the person standing in the doorway, suddenly very aware of her sparse clothing, messy hair, and swollen lips. Saints, why had she been so stupid?   
  
Nina Zenik was standing in the doorway, looking almost as horrified as Zoya felt. Her jaw had dropped, and her gaze jumped from Zoya to Nikolai, who was after all _shirtless._ “Oh”, she exclaimed flatly. “I wasn’t aware someone else was here.” 

Nikolai cleared his throat, reaching for Zoya’s _kefta_ and pulling it back over her shoulders. “Always a pleasure to see you, Nina”, he said smoothly, adding a charming smile. “Looking for anything in particular?”   
  
Zoya cast him a horrified glance. _How could he be so calm?_ He even looked slightly amused at the prospect. And not at all like Ravka’s future was on the line right now. 

Some of the tension seemed to drop off Nina at the words, and her lips even spread into a slight grin. “Adrik send me to look for something, but I suppose it can wait a little longer.” Her eyes flickered back to Zoya, who still hadn’t moved one inch. “I guess we’re even now”, she noted, pressing her lips together to avoid the grin. “Although of course when you walked in on Matthias and me I was still dressed.” 

The air crackled alarmingly when Zoya slipped from the table, ready to throw herself at Nina. Nikolai seemed to have sensed it, since he reached for her wrist and held her back. “Easy, Nazyalensky, we don’t want any casualties here”, he muttered in a low voice. 

Honestly, this was all one big disaster. Zoya nervously pulled at the silk of her _kefta,_ holding back the lightning which had come to her with the anger. After all she did not want to cook anyone alive by accident. Those things she only ever did on purpose. 

“I’ll better go”, Nina said quickly, noticing the sudden tension in the room. She added a quick smile. “Continue.” Before Zoya could react she ducked away and fled the room, closing the door behind herself. 

Zoya shot Nikolai an angry look, pulling away from him. “I _told_ you this was a terrible idea”, she hissed, looking for a place to release her anger. The storm was already coming to her, whirling through the room in a breeze. 

“Zoya”, Nikolai warned, as the winds rose around him. “This isn’t making it better.”   
  
That was fairly true, but she didn’t care. The panic was rising up in her, and there was no stopping it. Saints, she was going to kill Nina Zenik. 

Nikolai was behind her now, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Calm down”, he said softly, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Nina won’t tell anyone.”   
  
The words didn’t make her any less angry, but she allowed herself to lean into the embrace for just a moment. “I can’t believe you aren’t bothered by this”, she muttered, crossing her arms. “You won’t ever find a woman who is willing to marry you if this gets out.”   
  
Without seeing his face, she knew Nikolai was rolling his eyes. “Nina won’t talk”, he said again. 

But it wasn’t just about Nina. Not anymore. Zoya broke free from him, shaking her head. “We got lucky this time, it was only Nina. But what if it had been someone else?” 

Nikolai leaned against the table. He still looked entirely unbothered. “You can behead them.” A smirk crept over his lips. 

Why was this still funny to him? Zoya shot him an annoyed glance. “One might think you don’t even care about this country’s future”, she hissed at him. “You need a Queen, Nikolai.” 

He shrugged. “I asked you. You said no.”  
  
Zoya turned away, hiding her face. He _had_ asked, but she had hardly considered it a serious offer. “I’ll go talk to Nina”, she said, straightening her back. “Make sure she keeps her mouth shut.”   
  
He raised a brow. “Is it safe for her if I let you go alone?”  
  
“I’m still considering”, Zoya replied sharply, already at the door. She needed to get out of this room. But Nikolai’s voice held her back. 

He had gotten up, his eyes trained on her. “We’ll be more careful”, he said quietly. “If that’s what you want.”   
  
Sadly, it wasn’t important what _she_ wanted. Zoya shook her head. “It can’t happen again.” It took all her self control to force the words over her lips. 

Nikolai exhaled sharply, for second looking truly surprised. “You’re not serious.” 

Zoya pressed her lips together. “The risk-” 

“It wasn’t me who wanted to keep it a secret, Zoya”, Nikolai interrupted. He moved closer, reaching for her hand. “We’ll make it work. We always do.” 

As much as Zoya liked to pride herself on being ruthless, she suddenly wasn’t feeling one bit of it anymore. She looked into Nikolai’s hazel eyes who were pleading with her, and somehow her resistance began to crumble again. Saints, this man was truly messing with her. “Fine”, she muttered, letting herself be pulled into his arms again. 

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Go talk to Nina.” 

Zoya nodded, straightening her kefta and running a hand through her hair in an attempt to detangle it. She could only hope that she did not look as much like a mess as she currently felt. 

Fortunately the corridors were all empty and she met no one on her way to Nina’s room. Zoya needed a moment to calm herself when she stood in front of the closed door, thinking about how to start the conversation. _What did she say?_ In the end she only knocked firmly, trying to display the General’s usual authority. 

Nina opened immediately, like she had just waited for Zoya to come. She was wearing her red dressing gown, her hair tangling wildly around her shoulders. “That was quick”, she commented, stepping away to let Zoya in. “I’d assume you would need a little longer.”   
  
Zoya was hardly in the mood for jokes. She stopped in the middle of the room, looking around herself. The room smelled of Nina’s perfume, and a hint of roses. 

“I’m guessing I know why you’re here?” Nina interrupted Zoya’s thoughts, sitting down on the edge of her bed. “I wasn’t too far off this morning, was I?”   
  
Zoya glared at her, crossing her arms. Then she lifted her chin, trying to keep the last little bit of attitude she still had to offer. “No one is ever going to hear about this.” She narrowed her eyes a little. “Otherwise I’ll be forced to send you back to Fjerda, Zenik.” 

Nina raised her arms in defense. “Your secret is safe with me, I promise.” She smirked a little. “Am I allowed to make jokes about it?”   
  
“No”, Zoya growled. This new attitude of Nina was seriously annoying her. “We’ll never speak of it again.” 

Nina pouted dramatically. “Where’s the fun in that, Zoya?” She threw her hair over her shoulder. “Although you seriously need to be more careful”, she added. “A secret session in the library is not very subtle.” 

“Zenik”, Zoya said warningly. “One more word and you can go back to being a Junior Heartrender.”   
  
Nina laughed at the words, but then her face turned serious. “Does anyone else know?” 

Zoya played with a loose end on her _kefta._ “The Triumvirate”, she said eventually. There was no point in lying about it anymore, anyway. The secret was out. 

“Did they walk in on you as well?” Nina joked, but then quickly fell silent when she noticed Zoya’s expression. “Oh”, she added, biting her lip. 

Oh was the right word for it. Zoya sank down on a chair across the bed. She suddenly felt very tired. Upholding a scharade like this was seriously weighting on her. 

Nina cooked her head to the side, watching her. “Why even keep it a secret?” she asked eventually. “Just make it official.” 

“Politics aren’t like that, Nina”, Zoya replied. “Ravka needs a Queen. And a successful alliance.”   
  
Nina rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around her knees and letting her head rest on top of them. “I don’t believe you”, she said. “I think you’re just afraid.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Being Queen doesn’t excite you?” 

A few years ago it had excited her, but by now Zoya knew better. The Ravkan public would never love her, not like they had loved Alina. It simply was not possible. “No”, she replied firmly. 

Nina sighed dramatically. “Keep telling yourself that.” She shrugged. “If it makes you feel better.” Her eyes were gleaming with amusement. “I wouldn’t have guessed the king to be your type, actually.”   
  
Wasn’t Nikolai everyone’s type? Tall, blonde and handsome. Zoya knew enough Grisha at the Court who swooned over him and his charms. “I wouldn’t say I have a type”, she replied firmly, a hint of the usual sharpness in her voice. “But I also wouldn’t have guessed Fjerdan to be _your_ type either.”   
  
Nina smirked, shrugging. “I’m full of surprises.” 

Zoya chose to end the conversation here, getting up. “No one ever hears of this”, she reminded Nina. “Bad enough it came this far”, she added under her breath. 

“It could have been worse”, Nina replied. “You could have been entirely undressed.” She giggled as she saw Zoya’s stern expression. 

This was truly dreadful. Zoya turned to the door to take her leave, hoping that this was the last she ever heard of this. 

But Nina held her back. Her face was serious again. “Did he ever ask you?” she wanted to know. “To be queen.” She sounded truly curious. 

Zoya froze, her back still to Nina. She didn’t dare to turn around, fearing to expose herself. “He did ask”, she replied, keeping the emotion from her voice. “But that doesn’t change anything.” It had not been a proper proposal, but Nikolai had brought the topic up - on more than one occasion. Zoya had been quick to stir him away from it every time, although she knew that he had meant it. If she wanted a crown, he would give her one. 

Nina sighed. “Oh, the tragedy”, she mused, falling back into her bed, her hair spread around her. 

Zoya rolled her eyes. “Goodnight, Nina”, she muttered, opening the door. 

“Goodnight”, Nina replied, waving. “Give my greetings to the king!” 

Zoya slammed the door shut without another word. Actually, she had not even wanted to go to Nikolai again. She had planned to go straight to her rooms, lock herself in and don’t come out again. But yet again her own mind betrayed her, and she found herself knocking on the king’s door all the same. 

Nikolai opened in the clothes he wore for bed, obviously having expected her. “What a delightful surprise”, he commented, holding the door open for her. “Did you come to give me a goodnight kiss, Nazyalensky?” 

Zoya rolled her eyes, stepping past him into the room. “Nina won’t say anything”, she informed him, suddenly wondering what she was even doing. Of course she wouldn’t say anything. Why had she come just to tell him that obvious piece of information?

“I assume you threatened her well enough”, Nikolai replied amused, closing the blinds in front of the window. “Are you staying?” he asked, like it was the most normal thing in the world, while already lying down. 

Zoya wrapped her arms around herself, for a second doubtful. In the last weeks she had allowed herself to lean into this particular comfort far too many times, so that now when she was alone in her own bed she felt strangely alone. And cold. “Only because your bed is more comfortable”, she muttered in response, sitting down on the edge of Nikolai’s huge king-sized bed. 

He laughed, shaking his head. “I enjoy your company too, Zoya.” Still he reached for her wrist, pulling her towards him. “The rumors can’t grow any thicker, anyway.” 

Zoya sighed, easing herself into his arms. He did have a point there. Perhaps it was time to just give into them and let people talk. Since Nikolai didn’t seem to care, anyway. “Just please no more people walking in on us”, she replied dimly. “I can do without that.”   
  
“It does add a sudden rush of excitement”, Nikolai remarked, letting his fingers caress her hair. “And the look on Nina Zenik’s face was almost worth it. She was probably thinking you might impale her on the spot.”   
  
Zoya huffed, pulling the blanket over her body. “Perhaps I should have.” She could feel the warmth of Nikolai’s body radiating towards her as he wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her closer, so she was fully resting in his arms. 

“Ruthless”, he commented, placing a kiss on her hair. 

She closed her eyes then, allowing herself to relax for once. Because even if Zoya hated to admit it, she slept best in her king’s arms. 


End file.
